Self vs Self
by Razer Athane
Summary: 'Red is vibrant, bright, unyielding – the world will see him as he knows he should be seen.' Hwoarang-centric. Written as an unofficial answer to the 1sentence challenge on LiveJournal. -Oneshot-


Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Tekken.

Author's Note: NewBrawler recently posted a fic based off the 1sentence challenge on LiveJournal, so I figured I'd take a stab at it myself (I used the gamma set). It was fun, more free form than anything. Hwoarang-centric, various people, situations, even a few throwbacks to other fics I've written or thoroughly enjoyed reading, etc. Good on you if you can name/recognise a few of them actually. Enjoy!

* * *

**SELF VS SELF**

* * *

**#1 – Ring**

Hwoarang's a child when he first notices it, the never ending ringing as it runs circles through his cracked mind; and he wonders if the sound is a sign of insanity.

**#2 – Hero**

Some say 'traitor', others say 'lunatic', and Hwoarang doesn't know which one he really is as the world he saved from the tyrant sees him differently to what he had dreamt in his most haunted days.

**#3 – Memory**

As he watched her become swallowed by the memories – the few good, the gutting horrible, and the provoking others – he would simply sit by her side, a constant reminder that he understood, that he felt those things too, and that no matter what would happen or who either of them would lose, they would always have each other.

**#4 – Box**

"I can't do this," he choked, looking to the medic, to the people who swear, _swear_ that they're here to help him conquer and cage this self-created demon, "I can't do this, _I need it – _g-give it back."

**#5 – Run**

He could never cope, and so then he would default to what he always does – _run far away._

**#6 – Hurricane**

Julia's heart and mind are like a snow-supported hurricane, he concludes; and Hwoarang cannot help it – he finds her rage, her fury _terribly_ interesting.

**#7 – Wings**

The Korean heard the sound of wings from outside; and on instinct, he slammed the windows shut, dug his fingers into his hair, slid down along the wall and waited for everything to be alright.

**#8 – Cold**

When the American, cradling her injured leg, proclaims that she will freeze on his lumpy couch, the Korean literally throws a blanket at her head and finds the indignant, _furious_ glare that follows more amusing than he should.

**#9 – Red**

Red is vibrant, bright, unyielding – _the world_ will see him as he knows he should be seen.

**#10 – Drink**

Sometimes he drank because he was bored – but tonight he drinks because he's lost someone important, and something needs to take its place and hold him up before he caves into himself.

**#11 – Midnight**

And as he wanders out into the reserve hidden in the black sky, Hwoarang can feel his cynicism attack him as he searches for Julia.

**#12 – Temptation**

The lure to bite, wound, _slay_ grew with every ragged breath he took; and as he bared his teeth, roared and lunged at the opposing gang leader with a knife in hand, Hwoarang knew that tonight, one of them would not be going home.

**#13 – View**

The view of his car crash was spectacular; the look on this handsome young man's face, as though he's really seen his true spectre self, is the funniest thing he's ever seen, "It's been so long since I've had a proper race."

**#14 – Music**

It was the only thing he'd been good at in school, though Xiaoyu would vehemently defend his supposed 'magical math' skills even a year on.

**#15 – Silk**

He catches himself staring at the hanbok in the window, and he recalls the feel of his Mother's soft hands and the silken sleeves; and when Xiaoyu bumps him in the arm and asks what he's looking at and if he's okay, he fakes a grin, stuffs his hands deeper into his pockets and asks her to hurry up and show him whatever the hell it was that made her drag him out here in the first place.

**#16 – Cover**

His commanding officer roared for him to take cover, but he was more street-hardened than he realised when he simply raised his gun and fired at the opposing soldier as though nothing were at stake.

**#17 – Promise**

With a sharp nod and a bleeding lip, a promise is sealed – should Kazama Jin ever transform in public again, Hwoarang _will_ do what it takes to protect the innocent.

**#18 – Dream**

He dreamt of open doors, blue fire and monsters in the dark – and when he woke he knew it would be his final warning.

**#19 – Candle**

Lightning had ripped away all power to the house, so all Hwoarang was left was with candles to read stories to the small, enthusiastic life in his arms.

**#20 – Talent**

"You know," he began, looking back to the skittering, young man behind the counter with a shit-eating grin, "You've got a real talent for cooking."

**#21 – Silence**

And as the silence deafens him, Hwoarang turns on his heel just in time to watch the monster approach from his exotic den.

**#22 – Journey**

The journey across the world to find these items is long, and excruciating – but at least, Hwoarang supposes, it is with a good man.

**#23 – Fire**

"You are like fire – powerful, quick, fluid and dangerous," Baek remarked sternly, fixing his dobok; and when Hwoarang's gaze trailed from the man's fingertips to his face, he found that not only was he grinning, but so was his beloved Master.

**#24 – Strength**

If strength was born from heartbreak, then Hwoarang could move _mountains_.

**#25 – Mask**

The Korean had perfected hiding his emotions to the point where he realised he cannot register _what_ he felt for anybody anymore.

**#26 – Ice**

After all, he was the lonely little boy, trying to be strong and helplessly watching his bitter heart freeze.

**#27 – Fall**

When he fell, it was Asuka that had picked him back up, straightened him out and reminded him that he is a _fighter,_ not a cryer; and in that, they are the same.

**#28 – Forgotten**

He couldn't believe he had forgotten something as important as _her sister,_ and his stomach violently curled at the implications of her teary eyes.

**#29 – Dance**

He does _not_ dance and he never will, but he doesn't mind watching Steve making an ass of himself in front of Julia.

**#30 – Body**

Hwoarang knew that his body was a weapon, for Baek had drilled it into him so many times – but how many more hits until that too will shatter?

**#31 – Sacred**

The Emperor would speak of the objects as though they were sacred; Hwoarang more or less believed that such things needed to be destroyed before they ruined the world.

**#32 – Farewells**

Hwoarang had already learnt that being unable to say goodbye to those he loved was one of the most painful experiences he would ever endure, but he never thought that being given the opportunity to say goodbye would be just as excruciating.

**#33 – World**

The world will _never_ be Kazama's, because Hwoarang will_ never_ bow to him.

**#34 - Formal**

The clothes, the greetings and the way people would watch him – it was so far from Hwoarang's beloved life on the sea that he felt as though he were on a different planet altogether.

**#35 – Fever**

When his short, crabby and not-very-busty excuse for a boss begs him to come over and look after her (_as if_ he doesn't have anything better to do!), Hwoarang grumbles to himself on the way over and makes sure to pick up some Chinese and an action movie for her.

**#36 – Laugh**

His laugh is never booming or silent, but it is sharp enough to cut through the thickest air.

**#37 – Lies**

Hwoarang is silver-tongued, devil-touched and wicked – there is no truth he cannot manipulate.

**#38 – Forever**

That's it, then – just like Kazama, he knew that he would be forever alone.

**#39 – Overwhelmed**

When he saw Kazama just... _change..._ into whatever that thing over there was, all forms of bravado sunk to the bottom of his stomach, and he became overwhelmed with fear.

**#40 – Whisper**

And when she whispers back to him, saying that he doesn't have to ask, he knows that everything will be alright, and that one day, they will both have a sunny smile again in this weeping world.

**#41 – Wait**

He can recall his Mother tightening her grip around his small body as they waited for the sounds from outside, the sirens and the shouts to leave; and he feared not for himself then, but for her.

**#42 – Talk**

"I know," Hwoarang interrupts Baek softly, because he could hear Baek speaking to him as he came in and out of consciousness in the hospital.

**#43 – Search**

When Baek didn't come home, he searched for days; and when he called for help, nobody answered.

**#44 – Hope**

Any hope that Hwoarang holds that the other person survived the crash diminishes the moment he sees the person's mother collapse onto the floor.

**#45 – Eclipse**

"You just – _eclipse _me because you're so goddamn damn tall," she growled, and Hwoarang just _cackled_ at his boss until she deemed it fit to punch him in the stomach.

**#46 – Gravity**

Baek was the constant that kept him balanced, sane, close to the ground – Baek was his gravity.

**#47 – Highway**

When Xiaoyu's hands make fists into his shirt, he amusedly scoffs and presses down harder on the accelerator as they careen further along the road.

**#48 – Unknown**

He didn't know where he was, where he had been, or who that woman was – the only thing that he knew, deep in his heart, is that what was to come would be a great struggle.

**#49 – Lock**

Picking locks was like picking up hearts – and then breaking them both.

**#50 – Breathe**

"Breathe," she says to him firmly, trembling hands placed on either side of his cold, clammy face; and Hwoarang, vulnerable, surrenders his control to her.


End file.
